On the heels of a brilliant clay-court swing, Rafael Nadal will make the surface transition to grass when he meets John Millman on Monday at Wimbledon. Denis Shapovalov and Jerzy Janowicz are also in action.
(4) Rafael Nadal vs. John Millman
Each of Nadal’s two Wimbledon titles (2008, 2010) has come immediately following a French Open triumph. The second-ranked Spaniard is hoping that summer lightning strikes three times, as his impressive 2017 campaign is already highlighted by a 10th Coupe des Mousquetaires. Nadal was particularly dominant in Paris this time around, refusing to lose even a single set the entire way despite facing two-time Roland Garros semifinalist Dominic Thiem and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka in his last two matches.
Up first for Nadal on Monday is Millman, whom the 15-time Grand Slam winner has never faced. Due to major hip problems, the 28-year-old Australian is down at 137th in the rankings and did not play a single match this season until late May. He has contested only one ATP-level match in 2017 (a four-set French Open loss to Roberto Bautista Agut) and followed that up with a trio of setbacks in the second rounds of grass-court Challengers. Millman should win at least a handful of games because of Nadal’s grass-court rust, but this will be nothing short of one-way traffic from start to finish.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 8-10
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(WC) Denis Shapovalov vs. Jerzy Janowicz
Shapovalov and Janowicz will be going head-to-head for the second time in their careers and for the second time this season when they meet again on Monday. Their only previous encounter came on the hard courts of the Guadalajara Challenger, where Shapovalov prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). The 18-year-old Canadian eventually finished runner-up at that March tournament, which came during a stretch in which he also won both a different Challenger event and a Futures title. Shapovalov, who registers at No. 164 in the world, is coming off a solid second-round showing in Eastbourne as a qualifier (lost to Tomas Berdych 7-5 in the third set).
Janowicz has suffered from physical problems and perhaps motivational issues since reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2013. The 6’8” Pole is just 3-4 at the ATP level in 2017 and recently threw away any momentum he gained from ousting Grigor Dimitrov in the Stuttgart second round, as he lost his next match to Benoit Paire in straight sets and then fell to Franko Skugor in Eastbourne qualifying. Janowicz’s game is tailor-made for grass and he can therefore make this competitive, but Shapovalov has played far more meaningful matches of late and will be tougher mentally down the stretch.
Pick: Shapovalov in 5
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Master piece drop shot from Rafa! Pure magic!
Vamos!
Let’s hope Rafa manages to hold his serve at 5-2 to close the match
Cilic just dispatched Kohlshrieber in straight sets…
Another DTL forehand winner from Rafa!
Rafa wins!!!!
yeahhhh, vamos Rafa, one down!
Vamos Rafa ! ✌ Fist pump! ?
First professional match on grass in 2 years? No problem! Very good start to the championships!
Nny!…Have u read this?
https://thewest.com.au/sport/tennis/nadal-abused-me-out-there-millman-ng-s-1744404
MA,
That was a great read! Rafa’s opponent was impressed! So was I! Rafa seemed comfortable and was moving well. I thought he served well and was sharp with his DTL forehand and his cc backhand and slice backhand.
I was really happy as I watched his match, because I didn’t know what to expect.
It was great to see Rafa playing at Wimby again and being healthy, feeling good and playing so well!
?
Yeah Nny!…Me too!!…When i read Moya and Uncle Toni’s statement last week..i am still skeptical about it…i mean,we’ve been used to see how Rafa struggled on grass for the last 5 years..especially on his 1st grass match…but oh boy!How Rafa proved to us once again he’s not an average player…
Let’s hope together that nothing will happen to him in this fortnight…and he can play in this momentum till the 2nd week..grass certainly is a very dangerous playground…
Rafa looked sharp in his first match on grass. Donald Young is playing well at the moment, I hope Rafa is ready to meet him.
Yeah Lucky!…I’m really surprised to see Rafa’s perfomance last nite…in his 1st match on grass court..i can’t remember when the last time rafa was this awesome at wimby?Oh my God!I can’t believe what i saw last nite..That’s also meant that his knees can hold up pretty well this time…and that is the most joyful news i’ve ever heard for a long long time!!Woohoo!!!….C’mon Rafa!!Make it 16th!!
I guess ‘this’ is what Moya and U.Toni was talking about pre wimby last week…Now,i knew..
Yeah Mira, but we have to tread with caution. It will get more and more difficult for Rafa, so I’m cautiously optimistic. As long as Rafa wins his matches, I’m happy regardless of the score line. I just hope he doesn’t need to grind his way through, just plays aggressively as much as possible.
Yeah Lucky!…tread with caution!…the way he wrapped up the match last nite was awesome!!…Right Lucky?That is very aggressive play indeed!And i think rafa will keep on apply this strategy in his coming matches…can’t wait to see his next action tomorrow!….Vamos Rafa!!Woohoo!!
But,i can’t help from feel a little bit glum by his so called ‘joke’ when he ‘pranked’ the fans by trying to throw his shirt to them…this is the 2nd or 3rd time he did that…must he do that to the fans?It’s not nice..it’s just a t-shirt!…just give it to them!!